Finnish clothing brand owner reveals true cost of domestic production: “I’d double my salary by manufacturing abroad”
A Helsinki-based fashion entrepreneur has opened her books to show why Finnish-made clothing carries a high price tag—and why she still chooses local production despite earning less than her own seamstresses, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports.
Marleena Lehtonen, founder of the Lili Marleena brand, pays her two seamstresses €26 per hour—more than her own take-home pay. Last year, her personal earnings from the business totaled just €13,000. By moving production to Estonia, she estimates she could double her salary, but insists on keeping operations in Finland for ethical reasons.
€279 dress leaves designer with €75 after costs
Lehtonen’s silk dresses, priced between €250 and €350, are sewn in her small Kallio workshop from surplus Italian fabrics she sources twice yearly. After material costs, labor, and overheads, she nets roughly €75 per garment. “If I sold one dress a day, my monthly pay would be €2,400 before taxes and pension contributions,” she explains—an amount she calls an “ideal scenario.”
Her seamstresses, working as independent contractors in the same studio, earn more per hour than she does. “That’s fair,” Lehtonen says. “Their work is physically demanding. Of course I’d like to earn more, but I’m not doing this to get rich.”
Ethics over profits
Lehtonen acknowledges that outsourcing to lower-wage countries would boost her income. Paying €10/hour instead of €26 would significantly increase margins, yet she rejects the idea. “Who should the money go to—the person making the clothes or the person selling them? It’s not right for me to take €150 while the maker gets €10.”
She also values the flexibility of local production, allowing small batches and quick adjustments based on customer feedback. Using deadstock fabrics aligns with her sustainability goals, though she admits her business model is far from lucrative. “I’m not living like a queen, but the work puts food on the table,” she says.
With annual revenue around €70,000 and 350–500 items sold yearly, Lehtonen’s transparency highlights the financial reality behind “Made in Finland” labels—a choice she calls both principled and practical.